They looked perfect with their matching mullets and their jackets with Jamie’s last name stitched on the breast.Right here, with me, just where they’re supposed to be.
“You’re here,” Jamie said, relief making his voice waver. He was about to fucking cry, right there, and he didn’t fucking care, because they had come. They were fuckingthere. “I’m so, so happy you came.”
Tyler skated right into his arms. Jamie inhaled, letting everything around him fade but the cold plastic of Rowan’s helmet against his shoulder and the soft tickle of Tyler’s hair against his chin. He tightened his grip on them, and then pressed a kiss to Rowan’s helmet.
“What do you think of all this, buddy?”
Rowan’s grin was huge behind the cage. “It’s big like you!” He squinted his eyes, his nose scrunching up. “You have something on your face, Jamie.”
Jamie laughed. “We put special paint on our faces to help with the glare on the ice.”
“I want some.”
Tyler looked up from where his face had been tucked against Jamie’s chest. “Hey, big guy,” he said, an almost-sleepy, rumpled smile on his face. “I heard what you said. In the interview.”
“Yeah?” Jamie cleared his throat, suddenly self-conscious. “Did I overstep?”
“No,” Tyler said, shaking his head. “What you said was–” he sniffed, looking over Jamie’s shoulder, and Jamie saw tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. “What you said was perfect, Jamie. I’m so proud to be here, with you, wearing your name.”
“Baby,” Jamie breathed, doing his best to gently brush a finger over Tyler’s cheek with his bulky gloves. “If you start crying I swear I’m going to fu–forking go down with you.”
Tyler let out a wet laugh. “I just want to say thank you. For saying something when you didn’t have to.” He ran his tongue over his bottom lip hesitantly “You, Jamie, are worth all of it.”
Jamie leaned down, pressing a kiss to the wet trail on Tyler’s cold cheek. “Number three, remember?” He looked over at Rowan, who was watching them with a pleased grin on his face. “What are you smiling at?” Jamie asked him.
Rowan giggled, and reached for him. Jamie scooped him from Tyler’s arms, holding him on his hip. Rowan squirmed, and then held Bunny up in front of his face. “Bunny says you and papa should love each other and kiss noses.”
Jamie vaguely registered Tyler’s sputtering reaction, but he looked right at Rowan when he responded. “That’s the plan, kiddo. Come on, I want to see if you remember those mushy banana knees.”
It took a moment for Jamie to get Rowan back and settled on the ice, and there were giggles and laughter as he skated with the young boy between his legs. Tyler skated beside them, cheering Rowan on.
Rowan wasn’t Jamie’s. Not really. Not yet.
But it really did feel like Rowan and Tyler belonged right there beside him on the ice, wearing his name on their jackets. They were Muskies now. They were part of the team. They were family.
And maybe, someday, at the end of a roadtrip, rather than driving to the apartment above his moms’ house or swinging by The Daily Grind, he’d open the door of his too-large home and hear laughter and the whistling of the tea pot. Maybe there would be a yellow coat with duct tape across the bottom and a lavender beanie hanging by the front door. Maybe there would be blocks spread across the living room floor.
Maybe someday, they would be his family.
Jamie was all in.
Day by day, making time.
CHAPTER 24
TYLER
THE POETRY ALL ALONG
THE MUSKIES ON THE EVE OF THE WINTER CLASSIC
Reported by Arush Lakhani
This afternoon, at Camp Randall Stadium, the Madison Muskies held a brief practice, and tomorrow, they will host the Winter Classic. After months of preparation, the time has come for the Muskies to face off against the Minnesota Moose in front of their hometown fans.
But first, the players enjoyed a family skate with their loved ones, a time-honored tradition to share this moment in a player’s career with the people who matter most to them.
“I’m from the area,” said defenseman John Moore, who had his infant daughter strapped to his chest in a baby carrier. “Going to Badgers games in this stadium is a huge part of life growing up in Madison. It’s an amazing opportunity to get to play here, and to give our fans this experience.”
